Dengue fever in Taiwan rises 35pc this year as cases exceed 20,000

Taiwan has had 20,378 cases of dengue fever so far this year – 31.5 per cent more than the whole of last year – with 58 deaths attributed to the mosquito-borne tropical disease, according to figures released over the weekend by the island’s Centres for Disease Control.

The vast majority of the confirmed locally infected cases have occurred since May 1 in southern Taiwan, with Tainan City accounting for 17,278 of those cases, followed by Kaohsiung City with 2,636.

During the past five months, there have been 39 cases in the capital, Taipei, 40 in New Taipei and 44 cases in the central city of Taichung.

Last year, dengue fever reached its peak in November.

Confirmed locally infected cases last year totalled 15,492, with 21 deaths caused by the disease.

Dengue fever, which is common in tropical countries, is spread by the Aedes aegypti  mosquito, which breeds in stagnant water; haemorrhagic dengue fever can be fatal.